copravolley

For years, Italian wrestling has been sustained by a few naturalized athletes and occasional sporadic successes. Honestly, I wasn't expecting much; we're in a comatose state.

Problems are, we're left with O in wrestling for the first time in 100 years. And no one will remember that our not very talented girls fought nicely. The problem is that for us the ultimate dream is for one competitor to advance to the Olympic Games in 18 events...

Honestly, it's a good result that she was in the Olympic Play-Off. I didn't expected nothing more, wasn't her duty qualify.

Here only Chamizo could get QO. For our women, advancing to this stage is a great success.

Cuba is a liitle bit different case in my oppinion. I do not see problem with Cuban athletes.
 
We have slightly different situation. There are many diasporas from the Caucasus in Ukraine, so we did not need to find mercenaries.
These diasporas keep their traditions and culture but they are deeply integrated into the life of Ukraine, speak Ukrainian. 
 
For example, Nasibov was born in Azerbaujan, but came to Ukraine (Mykolaiv) in the age of 6.
Zantaraia (judoka) born in Georgia but came to Ukraine because of the war in Georgia. Now he is a politician.
 
Belenuk is another case - he was born in Kyiv.
 
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* In my oppinion, the other reason of our problems (and problems of many other countries) is the policy of the IOC. They are reducing and reducing quotas. And the Games are getting more and more elite event. Quotas are going to top powers and and a group of weaker representatives to ensure geographic diversity. The "middle class" is the main victim of this policy. And the result of this policy in a long-term perspective is disastrous for the local sport development. No Olympic quotas means no funds and no young athletes.

And another funny thing is Greek-American Helen Maroulis wanted to compete for Greece after London 2012 because she didn't make the USA team, and her grandparents still live in Greece, and she had some paperwork issues and the Greek wrestling federation didn't help her (though it might have been different people in charge as it was so long ago), and she ended up staying with USA and won gold in Rio and bronze in Tokyo.
 
So we couldn't help her yet we help Kurugliev easily get citizenship when he has no connection to Greece...

Poland deserved a bit of luck at the end, Baranowski won the quota exactly in the same way Baran lost it earlier today.
 
and China keeps losing quota matches in men's wrestling. but I'm pretty confident they will win the next one 

I know, I corrected it

I will drink champagne until the morning if one of the Italians wins but I am a realist and I know that the chances are close to 0. If Aurora Russo were 2-3 years older, so maybe but not today   

These are the rules and you have to accept to them, so I congratulate Greece. In the free categories 50% of people from the former Ukrainian SSR will soon start. You can send your fighter and lose in the 1st round or do what others do and fight for the quota  
 
 
* USSR, not Ukrainian of course. I`m sorry.

both 74kg quota winners and both 86kg quota winners are from ... Russia  plus Dudaev. that's 5

Thank you both @Benolympique @Josh although I don't really celebrate this quota, Kurugliev is not Greek in my opinion...

Quotas for  in men’s 86kg

Chamizo should not start here and continue to make noise, maybe they would give him a wild card. Now, that doesn't make sense anymore. Italy is 99% sure they won't have a single wrestler in Paris, so the Baku scandal should be the wild card. These qualifications are just terrible and very unlucky for him.

The worst thing will be if we lose these two matches in the evening and it will be a great regret But still, big applause for our girls.

he is a snake, I think he will find a way 
 
Rassadin is also Russian. didn't shine today just stole couple of narrow wins. I mean in Russian standards, Valiev is a B level wrestler while Rassadin is C/D. Valiev clearly has the upper hand but these guys know each other very well, anything can happen

yeah Kenchadze is a very good wrestler, if you ask me that will be his hardest match tomorrow.
 
I expect Salkazanov and Valiev to win the quotas tonight. in this case Chamizo's biggest hurdle is Kenchadze but if Demirtas wins, I don't think Frank can beat Salkazanov, just a terrible matchup for him.

first, UWW is terrible in organizing, we are supposed to be in middle of men's semifinals by now. but yet women's BB matches are not started yet.
we had something like 40 wrestlers in each weights, obviously it could take toooo long. it could be a 5-6 days tournament. 
 
anyway
Chamizo had couple of very narrow wins but he lost when he was clearly better. Valiev is obviously in a bad shape physically, he knew he can't compete with Chamizo for 6 minutes. so he ran and ran and attacked only couple of times when he had to. that's surprising someone as experienced as Chamizo falling in his trap. I think he will get another chance in repechage but still he has to win 3 matches tomorrow. not sure if his body can manage that.
 
65kg QF was a clear robbery, but I think it's easy to steal something from PRK, they can't protest. Dudaev (ALB) didn't dseserve those late 2 pts at all. but looks like Albania is the new friend of UWW, so their mercenary Russians are getting favorable calls. Valiev also got some today.
 
the biggest loser of the day was Baran (POL) he was easily leading the Venezuelan 2-0 but then just lost his focus in a second and lost it 2-2. he is not going to get a 2nd chance IMO. 

I think that for the first time since Paris 1924, Italy will not have anyone in wrestling. What disaster
 

Chamizo survived by the skin of his teeth, again he fought his heart out in the 2nd period and scored the winning takedown only in last 2-3 seconds
 
wasted lots of energy in this match which wasn't supposed to be challenging. next round will be a bit harder.

WTF!! Prince Dahal of himself doesn't know he qualified for Olympics. I had congratulated him on his Instagram 
 

Massive day in Indian Women's Wrestling!!!
 
 win their 5th Quota and will send their biggest women's wrestling team to Olympics.
 
The bigger news is that after 16 months of protests, struggle, and criticism to women wrestlers who demanded the arrest of the then WFI President, Brij Bhushan has finally paid off. The former WFI President has been charged with molestation and sexual harrasment by the court of female wrestlers including minors. The protest was led by Vinesh Phogat, multiple world medallist, Bajrang Punia, 2020 Olympic bronze medalist and Sakshi Malik, India's first female Olympic medallist in wrestling.
 
Truth prevails in the end.

Elsayed  is a beast today

Giornata decisamente positiva, salvo la piccola sbavatura dell'arco femminile (Germania scandalosa...). Salgono a 244 i pass Olimpici per l'Italia:
 
Nell'arco maschile, gli azzurri battono agilmente l'Olanda in semifinale e qualificano la squadra a Parigi. Inoltre, ciò comporta anche la qualificazione dell'arco misto Nella atletica, Elena Bellò ottiene il minimo FIDAL e si qualifica negli 800 metri   
Nota a margine, lo splendido oro europeo di Vito Dell'Aquila, che ha praticamente dominato tutto il giorno.

Vito Dell'Aquila practically won the European championship without taking any risks in any round. He's simply from another league